Gilberds



To all` whom L ,l may conectar will@ i JArIEs ciLnEnns, on JAMEsrowN, NEW Yoan;-V

srEcIFrcArIon `Be it known` that I, JiiMEs GILEEnDaof Jamestown, in the eountyof Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit7Jars, and I do `hereby `declare the; following to bca full, clear, and exactdescription of the inventiom such as will enable others skilled'in the art `to which it appertains to make and usethe same.`

i My invention `relates to an improvement in' fruit-j ars, and more particular]y'lto l that class thereof `which are` l provided` witlnbeveled covers securedin place by=spri11g stirrups encircling the. jars and covers. The object of the present invention is to improve the con-` struction ot the` covers and stirrnps, and to provide the latter with bails. .1,

Vith these obj ects` in view, my invention consists in the combination, with a fruit-jar, of a beveled cover having a flat bearing-sur` face and provided with a stop-ledge, and a spring-stirrup arranged to encircle thejar and' cover and hold the latter in place.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a fruit-j ar having a beveled cover provided witha central bearing-surface, of a spring-stirrup arranged to encircle the jar and cover and to hold the latter in place, and hav ing its side bars bent or bowed outwardly.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a fruit-j ar having a beveled cover provided with a central bearing-surface, of a spring-stirrup arranged vto encircle'the jar and cover and hold the latter in position, and a bail attached to stirrup. A i

My invention further consists in certain dethe upper cross-bar of the tails of construction and combinations of parts,

as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of a fruit-j ar embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is aview thereof in vertical section. A Fig.` 3 is a detached view ofthe 145 spring-stirrup with bail attached, the dotted `line representing the shape assumed by the stirrup when applied to a jar; and Fig. i is a perspective view of a modified form which my improved covermay assume. i

In the drawings, A represents thebody `of the jar, which maybe of any desired form and @PATENT Orifice...

construction. Its lower edge is provided with suitable grooves, B, which receivethe lower crossbar, C, of theAspring-stirrupg and forni the bearings `in whiehit turns.v The `cover D ofthe jar is adapted to fit over the neck thereof and impinge upon the rubbergasket E surrounding it. `The top of `the cover is provided with the `beveled face F, which extends from its edge to the` central bearing-surface, G, the 6o samebeing flat and running entirely across the center of the cover. My invention, so far as the cover is concerned, consists in providA ing it with the stop-ledge H, `which. runs par-` allelwith and adjoins the bearing surface 6 5 aforesaid. This` ledge, as its name 1 implies, performs the function of arresting thefzupper cross-bar ofthe stirrup upon the bearing-surface. In other words, lit prevents the` said bar from being drawn quickly over the said bear-` 7o ing-surface by the effort to apply the stirrup. The object in using a iiat bearing-surface is to bring the stirrup to a condition of rest while at its highest tension, instead of allowing it to rela'xin that condition, as would result from 75 the employment of a depressed bearing-surface requiring no stop-ledge to arrest the stirrup. The said stirrup is made of a section of spring-steel wire bent into the required shape and coppercd, galvanized, or otherwise treat- 8o ed to guardA against its corrosion. Its ends are united on the line of its l'ower cross-bar by a ferrule, I, to which they are soldered, or by any equivalent suitable means. The upper and lower cross-bars, C, of the stirrup are 8 5 straight, or substantially so, while its side bars, J, are bent or bowed outwardly, to permit it `to be suiiicientl-y extended in the direction of its length to encircle the jar and cover, which it will not do without such extension, 9o and to cause it to act as a spring for holding the cover in place. By curving both sides of the stirrup in the manner described, the effect ofthe two springs is obtained and a very effective fastener is produced. Also, the location of the springs in the sidebars of the stirrup enablesit to be made with a straight upper `cross-bar, which, by Aengaging with the beveled face of the cover of the jar from edge to edge, steadies the stirrup and facilitates the 10o v sealing of the jars. Again, the said bar,`by engaging at every point of the iiat bearingsurface of the cover, effects an even distribution of pressure throughout the same, whereby a more perfect sealing of the jar'results.

A stirrup constructed in accordance with my invention, being longitudinally extensible, compensates for contractions and expansions in the length of the jar resulting from changes in its temperature, and most observed while cooling after being filled with heated fruit or conserves.

A bail, K, attached to the upper cross-bar of the stirrup, affords easy means of handling the jar, and, being permanently attached to the stirrup, it is much more convenient and safer in use than the removable bails ordinarily employed.

The modified cover shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings is essentially like the cover shown in the other figures, the beveled face, bearingsurface, and stop-ledge being simply cut away on each side.

I am aware that a jar-cover provided with a beveled face and a bearing-surface is not new; but I do not believe such a cover has been provided with a stop-ledge. y

'y I am also aware that a stirrup arranged to encircle a jar, and having its upper cross-bar bentv inwardly to form a spring, is old. I do not therefore claimA such a stirrup, broadly, but limit my claim to a stirrup provided with bent or bowed side bars.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a fruit-jar, of a beveled cover having a iiat bearing-surface and provided with a stopledge, and a springstirrup arranged to encircle the jar and cover and to hold the latter in place, substantially as set forth.

2. rlhe combination, with afruit-jar having a beveled cover provided with a central bearing-surface, of a spring-stirrup arranged to encircle the jar and its cover and hold the llatter in place, and having its side bars bent or bowed outwardly, substantially as set forth.

3. rl`he combination, with a fruit-j ar having a beveled cover provided with a central bearing-surface, of a spring-stirrup arranged to encircle the jar and cover and hold the latter iny place, and a 4bail attached to the upper. 

